The One Way to Extend the Life of Your Leather Tote Bag

Give her a few more years, eh?

Once a mere vehicle for hipster errands, the roomy leather tote has officially made its way into mainstream purse collections. (We even consider it one of the five essential bags you should own.) But what are you supposed to do with it once you get back home? Hang it on a hook? Shove it haphazardly in a cubby? No and no--if you want to get the most out of that baby. Here’s the actual best way to store it.

What you need: Several sheets of newspaper and an old, thin canvas tote, preferably similar in size to your bag.

What you do: Crumple the newspaper and stuff it into the canvas tote. Place the paper-filled bag into the leather one, so that it fills the interior completely and the whole thing stands upright. Tuck it in for the night on a clean shelf in your closet. In the morning, just remove the canvas tote and go about your day.

Why it works: Leather shows its age when it’s subject to creasing and cracking and falling out of shape. The newspaper--a long-loved trick for keeping boot shapes--fills the empty space and prevents the bag from sagging and creasing. The canvas tote, though…that’s just a genius little way to keep the Sports section from flying all over the floor when you’re trying to get out the door in the morning.